“All right,” I said. “But this really is the last one.”

Paul, Gwennie, and I went down to the far end of the stables. Several cats came to rub against our ankles, and Gwennie picked up and stroked a kitten. Dominic’s stallion gave us what I would have called a surly look, but when I lifted Paul up onto his back he made no movement, though the skin twitched all along his neck and side. The stables were very quiet, with the only sound that of tearing hay as the horse in the adjoining stall pulled off a mouthful.

“Now me,” said Gwennie.

“You want to get on the stallion too?” I asked in surprise. Gwennie, the castle cook’s daughter, was almost exactly the same age as Paul and would tag after him all day if her mother let her, but she had always seemed nervous around horses.

“Put her up behind me,” said Paul. “We can pretend we’re galloping across the high plains, trying to get there in time to win the treasure.”

I hadn’t heard the story of the treasure of the high plains before, but Paul was always coming up with something new. “Just be sure you sit very still while pretending,” I said.

For a moment, I left Paul to stay on the stallion’s back by himself and turned my magic to the girl. She was white-faced and sober, but when I hesitated, she said, “Come on!” as imperiously as the royal heir. I lifted her slowly and gradually, using the words of the Hidden Language to guide her over the stall gate and onto the stallion’s broad back. I set her down with her legs sticking straight out and her face whiter than ever.

The horse shifted uneasily, feeling the sudden increase in weight. Paul kept his balance without even thinking about it. Gwennie took a firm grip around his waist.

“Don’t be so frightened,” said Paul, not unkindly. “Now, we have to make it to the fortress by sunset, or it will be too late. The sun is setting fast! Come on, Whirlwind!”